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2010 Stanley Cup finals: Did officials miss a high-stick on Briere?

When you see a score like 7-4, it’s difficult to imagine that a controversial call really could have made a difference. Whether it would have made a difference or not, it looks like the referees missed a high-sticking penalty in the third period. As you can see from this video capture, Duncan Keith caught Danny Briere with a high stick.


Briere started bleeding almost immediately, which means that the infraction could have been a double-minor penalty. If my memory serves me correctly, the score was 5-3 Chicago at the time of that missed penalty. I always preach against the practice of “replacement” (in other words, saying, “if this person wasn’t injured, the team would have won” because there’s a domino effect with those kind of things. Let’s just move on.) so it’s unsafe to assume that the Flyers could have mounted a comeback.

Stanley Cup Finals - Philadelphia Flyers v Chicago Blackhawks - Game Five

of the Philadelphia Flyers of the Chicago Blackhawks in Game Five of the 2010 NHL Stanley Cup Final at the United Center on June 6, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois.

Andre Ringuette

Still, you never know with hockey and momentum. Flyers coach Peter Laviolette, for one, thought it was a blunder.

“I thought it was a penalty. At first glance, I almost thought it was intentional. The puck wasn’t even around,” Laviolette said. “Looking at it again, it should have been a four-minute penalty. You have to be in control of your stick out there. Dangerously close to a severe eye injury.”

“They told me that it was a follow-through on the puck. I’m not sure I understood the call. I thought it should have been a four-minute penalty.”

On the other hand, Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville pointed out that the Flyers probably got away with a high stick on Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell.

“I think Soupy might have had the same high stick and he was cut too. Apples and oranges,” Quenneville said. “At the end of the day, it probably came out in the wash.”

Some might say it was a makeup non-call, but either way it did look like a mistake. What do you think? Should it have been a penalty, a double-minor or nothing at all? Let us know in the comments.